THE ERIE CANAL ENLARGEMENT. There is a very large party in the State of New York which is working hard to get the State to enter upon the radical enlargement of the Erie Canal, making it of a capacity for barges of 1,000 tons burden, with lock capacity for two such barges at once. A few years ago the State expended $9,000,000 for improving the present small canal, and two years ago it made an appropriation of $200,000 for the necessary surveys and estimates for this larger barge canal. These surveys and plans have been completed, and the estimated cost of the improvement of the Erie Canal is about $70,000,000. Both political parties in their recent State conventions have in their adopted platform approved the enlargement of the canal as proposed, rendering it almost a certainty that it will be entered upon in the near future. The canal herein proposed to be built by the Government would fit in to this plan for the enlarged Erie Canal, and it would thus be a benefit, not only to lake navigation, but to the navigation of the proposed enlarged Erie Canal, the commerce on which would be very large and important. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. There are a large number of existing commercial and manufacturing industries at Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, Tonawanda, and Black Rock that would be directly or indirectly benefited by the construction of the canal around the shoals and rapids at the head of the Niagara River. NIAGARA FALLS. One of the greatest industrial movements and growths of recent times has been brought about by the development of the power of Niagara Falls. This is the greatest present and prospective electrical power development in the world. It is summarized as follows: The Niagara Falls Power Company now generates 50,000 electrical horsepower, of which 35,000 is in use at Niagara Falls and 15,000 in Buffalo and elsewhere. This company has constructed a second wheel pit and power house, and is installing apparatus for generating 55,000 electrical horsepower additional, a considerable portion of which is under contract in advance to supply the increased needs of manufacturers already located at the Falls. The Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company has developed and is supplying for commercial purposes 35,000 electrical horsepower. On the Canadian side the Canadian Niagara Power Company is engaged in the construction of a tunnel and other hydraulic arrangements for the development of 100,000 electrical horsepower, and has arranged for the first installation of 30,000 electrical horsepower, to be completed by July 1, 1904. Arrangements have been made for connecting the power house of this company with the power house of the Niagara Falls Power Company, with a view to using a large part of the power generated in Canada on the American side of the river. The Ontario Power Company is located on the Canadian side of the river. It has charters and plans for two different schemes for power development, each for 150,000 electrical horsepower-300,000 elec trical horsepower in all. One of these is under construction. The company is building a fore bay for the control of water sufficient to generate 150,000 electrical horsepower, and has let a contract to the Westinghouse Company for the installation of machinery to generate 30,000 electrical horsepower, which is to be ready by January 1, 1904. The Ontario Power Company is composed of citizens of the United States and it is expected that the power will be principally used in this country. The amount of money invested in these electrical power developments which are under way will be at least $25,000,000. A list of the principal manufacturing concerns located at Niagara Falls and their products, is given below. They are mostly operated by electrical power from the Falls, or by direct hydraulic power therefrom: Acetylene Manufacturing Company: Preparations of calcium carbide. Alloy Smelting Company: Ferro-chrome and other alloys. The Ampere Electro-Chemical Company: Manufacturers of various chemical products. Ark-Brand Paint Company: Mixed paints. Atmospheric Products Company: Manufacturers of nitric acid and of nitrates and nitrites. C. M. Borter: Planing mill. Buffalo and Niagara Falls Electric Light and Power Company: Electric lighting and electric power for motors. By-Products Paper Company: Manufacturers of fine grade papers, making large shipments of raw material from the Northwest. The Carborundum Company: The only manufacturers in the United States of carborundum, using 2,000 electrical horsepower continuously in its production, and now about to double its capacity. Carter-Crume Company (Limited): The largest manufacturers in the United States of blank sales tickets, stubs, manifold order blanks, etc. Castner Electrolytic Alkali Company: One of the largest manufacturers in the world of caustic soda and bleaching powder. Cataract Hair-Cloth Company: Manufacturers of haircloth. Cataract Ice Company: Artificial ice. Cataract City Milling Company: Flour; capacity, 1,000 barrels daily. Central Machine Company: Machinists. Central Screen Plate Works: Screens. Cliff Paper Company: Newspaper and wood pulp; daily capacity, 30 tons of paper and 30 tons of pulp. The Composite Board Company: Manufacturers on a large scale of composite board from sulphite. J. H. Cook & Co.: Lumber yard and planing mill. Doran Bros. & Martin Company: Suspenders. Dobbie Foundry and Machine Company: Manufacturers of heavy forging, tanks, boilers, and structural work; general machine shop and foundry. Electrical Lead Reduction Company: Engaged in reducing lead ore in electrical furnaces. Electro Gas Company: Packers of calcium carbide and manufacturers of acetylene gas lamps. The Ferro-Titanium Company: Ferro-titanium alloy. Francis Hook and Eye and Fastener Company: Large manufacturers of hooks and eyes, snap fasteners, novelties, and machinery for making the same. Frontier Brick Works: Clay brick. Charlotte Haeberle: Lumber yards and planing mills. Hinds Paper Box Company: Manufacturers of paper boxes. International Paper Company: Manufacturers of wood pulp, sulphites, and newspaper; daily capacity of newspaper, 120 tons. International Acheson Graphite Company: Manufacturers of chemically pure graphite; use continuously 1,000 electrical horsepower; produced in 1901, 1,000 tons of product. MacPherson Switch and Frog Company: Large manufacturers of railway switches and general railway supplies. Thomas E. McGarigle: Machinist and general foundry. McLoughlin Malt House: Maltsters. Metal Stamping Company. Myers & Co.: Cattle spice mills. National Electrolytic Company: Manufacturers of chlorate of potash. The Natural Food Company: Manufacturers of shreddred whole wheat biscuit, shipping in about bushels of wheat per month and shipping out per month. carloads Niagara Electro Chemical Company: A very large producer of sodium; about to treble their capacity. Niagara Falls Acetylene Gas Machine Company: Acetylene gas machines. Niagara Falls Distilling and Chemical Company: Distillers of vegetable oils. Niagara Falls Hair-Cloth Works: Manufacturers of haircloth. Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company: Generates about 35,000 electrical horsepower for manufacturing purposes, and now engaged in largely increasing capacity. Niagara Falls Milling Company: Two large flour mills; daily capacity, 2,000 barrels each. The Niagara Falls Power Company: Generates 50,000 electrical horsepower for distribution and use in Niagara Falls and vicinity; plant now being extended for generation of 55,000 additional electrical horsepower. The Niagara Falls Water Works Company: Supplying filtered water to city. Niagara Silverware Company: Output about 50,000 spoons daily; silver-plated ware. Niagara Surface Coating Company: Manufacturers of glazed plated paper and box board. Norton Emery Wheel Company: Manufacturers, at Niagara Falls plant, of abrasives by electrical process. Oldbury Electro Chemical Company: Very large manufacturers of phosphorus and its compounds. Oneida Community (Limited): Manufacturers of silver-plated ware; output, about 50,000 spoons daily. Pettebone-Cataract Paper Company: Newspaper and ground wood pulp; capacity, 25 tons of paper and 16 tons of pulp daily. Philpot & Leuppie: Wire stitching machinery for bookbinders. The Pittsburg Reduction Company: The only producers in the United States of the metal aluminum, using continuously twenty-four hours in the day from 8,000 to 10,000 electrical horsepower. Roberts Chemical Company: Manufacturers of hydrochloric acid and caustic potash. Wm. A. Rogers (Limited): Silver-plated articles. Spencer-Wicker Lumber Company: Lumber yard and planing mill. Carl Steinbrenner: Lumber yards and planing mill. Union Carbide Company: The largest producers in the world of carbide of calcium; uses continuously about 12,000 electrical horsepower. The United Barium Company: The largest producers in the United States of barium hydrite and other compounds of barium. NORTH TONAWANDA AND TONAWANDA. These two towns, on each side of the Erie Canal, where it first connects with the Niagara River, are in different counties and can not well be merged into one municipality. The two make an important center of population, commerce, and industry, which would be greatly benefited by the work proposed. The following are the commercial statistics of the water-borne commerce of the Tonawandas for 1901, as furnished by the board of trade of North Tonawanda. Number of coast wise vessels entering this port. Number of foreign.. Total number entering Number of coast wise vessels elearing from this port. 891 87 978 920 All of this business passes up and down the Niagara River, through the rapids and shoals at its head, in spite of these handicaps, and all would be immensely benefited by the proposed improvement. In sending these statistics the secretary of the board states as follows: Statistics that we furnish you now must necessarily be incomplete from the fact that other industries are being added to our number. One in particular, the Tonawanda Board and Paper Company, capitalized at $600,000, has just begun building on the river front, and will be vitally interested in the improvement of shipping conditions on the Niagara River. These statistics are somewhat inadequate also from the fact that the boats of deepest draft do not enter Niagara River, and these parts are cut off from the traffic that would come this way if conditions were more favorable. There are millions of dollars invested in the different lines of manufacturing here that are wholly or largely dependent upon being able to receive freight by water from the upper lake regions. These are growing yearly in importance, and others are being added, which makes the need of better conditions in Niagara River increasingly urgent. The following list of firms at North Tonawanda, Niagara County, interested in the proposed canal around the shoals and rapids at the head of the Niagara River, with their commercial rating, is also furnished by the board of trade of North Tonawanda: Tonawanda Iron and Steel Company. W. H. Sawyer Lumber Company Smith, Fasset & Co.. White, Rider & Frost Lumber Company Silver, Thorn & Co., lumber The Island Box Company Fenton & Spalding Box Company McLean Brothers, lumber Dodge & Bliss Box Company R. T. Jones Lumber Company White, Gratwick & Co., lumber W. G. Palmer, lumber. Thompson, Hubman & Fisher, lumber Niagara Radiator Company The American District Steam Company. Commercial rating. $1,000,000 400,000 300, 000 50,000 1,000,000 150,000 400, 000 150,000 100,000 150,000 100,000 20,000 400,000 1, 000, 000 35,000 10,000 50,000 150,000 500,000 20,000 100,000 400, 000 75,000 100,000 400,000 10,000 20,000 Total financial capital interested.. 6,090,000 C. G. Butts & Co... The firms in Tonawanda, Erie County, which would be so benefited Black Rock is part of Buffalo, and it is impracticable to entirely and satisfactorily separate its commercial statistics from those of Buffalo. The following firms, with their commercial rating and the amount of their business on the lake and river, indicate, approximately, the immediate benefits to come to Black Rock from the improvement proposed: The registered tonnage of the boats engaged in Black Rock's lake commerce is about 500,000 tons for arrivals and departures. The boats vary in capacity up to about 3,000 tons. Two boats engaged are the Flagg and Warner, each having a registered tonnage of 3,062 tons. These boats are in the copper-carrying business, and are only able to bring down 2,900 net tons, but going up the lake they load with coal at Buffalo, and carry 4,000 net tons. It will therefore be seen that under existing conditions boats of a very moderate capacity like these are only able to bring down three-fourths of a cargo. CANAL COMMERCE. The commerce of the Erie Canal would be directly benefited by the proposed improvement. With the improvement made the boats would not traverse the narrow canal between Buffalo and Tonawanda, but would take to the Niagara River and pass the rapids and shoals at its head through the projected canal and lock. This would be very beneficial. There is carried now yearly on the canal into and out of Buffalo about 1,000,000 tons of freight, although the canal is in an antiquated condition and there are many things which work to its disadvantage. With the new and enlarged canal proposed by the State of New York, this tonnage it is confidently believed will |